Senate OKs relaxing rules on forming new districtsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Senate has given final legislative approval to a bill easing restrictions on the creation of new school districts. By a 20-6 vote, the Senate approved and sent to the governor's desk a bill that would lower the amount of students a new district needs to splinter from an existing district. The legislation would lower the requirement from 4,000 students to 2,500. Supporters of the measure say it would allow Maumel...

Company donates $10M to Little Rock cancer centerLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A New Jersey-based biopharmaceutical company has donated $10 million to a cancer center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. The Celgene Corporation's contribution to the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy was announced Monday. The money will help create the Bart Barlogie Center for Molecular Diagnostics. It also will help establish the Celgene Distinguished Endowed Chair in Molecular Th...

Four Atkins students win DAR essay contestsATKINS — Atkins Middle School students swept the recent American History Essay Contest hosted by the Dardanelle Rock chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Reese Bixler, the winner in the fifth-grade division, was also named the winner of the state contest. He will be honored during an upcoming reception on at the Old State House in Little Rock. Emily Killer was awarded the winner in the sixth-grade division, and Reece Rooke was ...

Assistant superintendent contracts renewedCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville Board of Education approved to renew two superintendents’ contracts during its meeting Feb. 23 at the high school media center. Following the recommendation of Superintendent David Hopkins, the board unanimously approved to renew the contracts of Toby Cook and Steven Wyatt. Assistant Superintendents Cook and Wyatt will have their contracts extended to the end of the 2016-17 school year. Wyatt has worked at the Cla...

Elementary students host drive for servicemenSequoyah Elementary School third-graders, Riley Barrett and Mary-Kate Honghiran, organized a drive to collect items for servicemen, principal Barbara McShane said Friday. “The inspiration struck when veterans came to our school and taught us about what they do. And we thought they do so much for us, that we should do something back for them,” Barrett said. “We talked to Mrs. McShane and then made flyers to give the whole school asking for thin...

Early voting begins Tuesday in DoverThe Dover School District is taking its third and final try at a millage increase to help fund a middle school construction project. Early voting for the proposed 3.2 mill increase will be conducted 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through March 9 at the Pope County Election Headquarters in Russellville. Polls will be open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, March 10, at the First Baptist Church in Dover. If approved, the money collected from t...

Arkansas State University bans e-cigarettes on campusJONESBORO (AP) — Arkansas State University has banned the use of e-cigarettes on its campus. The Jonesboro Sun reported the battery-operated device was banned by the university after receiving feedback from its constituency groups. The ban, which already includes cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, was announced to students Wednesday. The groups debated the issue, and the majority decision was that it would be better for the campus environment t...

School officials: Coach fired for violating spending rulesNORTH LITTLE ROC (AP) — A football coach has publicly released a termination letter from the North Little Rock School District stating that he failed to follow district rules on how to handle nearly $140,000 in purchases. The letter to coach Brad Bolding admonishes him for the purchase of supplies and equipment made between late August 2013 and January 2014. Officials also reportedly stated Bolding misspent two state grants totaling about $9,0...

Quiz Bowlers prep for state tournamentWhat is the collective name for the first 10 amendments? A sixth-grade Quiz Bowler would quickly recognize the Bill of Rights as the correct answer. Civics, social studies and literature are a few of the subjects the Russellville Middle School sixth-grade team has studied in preparation for its state tournament next week. The group of 10 sixth-graders placed first at the regional meet, which qualified them for the equivalent of a state tournam...

Bond makes waves in RHS swimming and academicsMost students crack under pressure. Andrea Bond thrives at the surface. Russellville High School (RHS) junior Andrea Bond accepts the challenge by diving into the deep end. The athletic and academic leader is admired by both the swimming and RHS communities. RHS swim records Bond has broken include the 200-meter freestyle, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle, which is five of the eight records kept in the girls’ divis...

Learning through magicWorld-renowned illusionist Kevin Spencer visited students at Russellville Middle School and Russellville High School on Thursday and was scheduled to visit Russellville Junior High School and Arkansas Tech University on Friday. Spencer, who is also an educator, researcher, speaker, writer and film producer, said he believes the arts can positively impact the quality of people's lives. He founded the Healing of Magic program and is considered t...

Guns on campus measure advances in Arkansas LegislatureLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A bill to force public colleges and universities in Arkansas to allow staff and faculty to bring guns onto campus that was previously defeated found new life Thursday through the support of three Democrats. The bill expands a 2013 law that permitted guns on campus — but allowed universities to opt-out, which all 33 higher education institutions in the state did. The House Education Committee passed the reworked measure by vo...

Internationally famous Phoenix visits RSD choirWorld-renowned singer and clinician Paul Phoenix worked with students and directors in the Russellville School District (RSD) Choral Music Department on Wednesday at the Center for the Arts. A former member of The King’s Singers and current resident of Cambridge, England, Phoenix has traveled across the world to offer choral clinics and has made appearances at many of the best choral music programs in America. As a member of The King’s Singers...

Clarke honored for 3 decades with ATU staffLinda Clarke, director of the Roy and Christine Sturgis Academic Advising Center at Arkansas Tech University, will be honored with a retirement reception from 3-5 p.m. Friday in Doc Bryan Student Services Center room 242. Clarke is retiring effective Feb. 28 after three decades on the Tech staff. “I am so thankful to every person with whom I’ve had the privilege of working for or with these past 30 years,” Clarke wrote in her letter of retirem...

RHS to host 6th annual transition fairRussellville High School (RHS) will host the sixth annual Life After High School Transition Fair from 9-11 a.m. March 6 at the high school gym and auxiliary gym. The transisiton fair is designed to help special education students transition from the classroom to the workforce and community, Tye Smith, RHS special education teacher, said. “We’re wanting to integrate them into the community and make them see there are businesses here to employ t...

Hutchinson signs measure expanding computer science classesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has signed into law a measure requiring public high schools to offer computer science courses in the coming school year. Hutchinson signed the bill Tuesday, following through on a campaign promise he says was inspired by his 12-year-old granddaughter learning computer coding. Hutchinson, a Republican, was elected in November. The new law gives districts the option of offering the courses in-perso...

Brock crowned Miss Arkansas Tech 2015The third time was the charm for Haven Brock. An early childhood education major from Haskell, Brock was crowned the 60th Miss Tech on Friday night during the 2015 Miss Arkansas Tech University Scholarship Pageant at Witherspoon Auditorium. Daughter of Casson and Eric Brock, the Arkansas Tech junior captured the Lindsey Ahrens Vocal Award, the Nona Dirksmeyer Award for overall talent and a share of the CenturyLink Interview Award on her way to...

Local Quiz Bowl teams qualify for stateThe Russellville Quiz Bowl seventh- and eighth-grade teams finished in second and third place at the 6A regional tournament at Lake Hamilton, which qualified them for the state tournament on Feb. 28 at Parkview High in Little Rock. The regional tournament was played in a round-robin format, which allowed all teams to play five games. The eighth grade team went 3-2 for the day, but scored high points all day long to finish in second place behin...

Strayhorn encourages students to ‘pursue your why’The question of why, and how answering that question can define a life, was a focal point of the Arkansas Tech University Black History Month keynote address offered by Dr. Terrell Strayhorn at the Doc Bryan Student Services Center Lecture Hall on Tuesday. “Why is a great question,” Strayhorn said. “Pursue your why. Play with it weekly, daily. Your destiny depends upon your ability to process information that will lead you to your why.” Strayh...

Dover extends contracts for principalsDOVER — The Dover School Board extended the employment of five administrative personnel and tabled one contract after a 30-minute executive session during Thursday’s monthly meeting. High School Principal Jo Lynn Taverner, High School Assistant Principal Mike McCarley, Middle School Principal Donny Forehand, Elementary Principal Josh Daniels and Academic Mentor Verna Boxnick were all rehired. Consideration of the contract of Elementary Assista...